Several years ago, I began seriously contemplating a career change
and I started to wonder which state might be the best to live in from a libertarian
perspective. My first cut is here.
Below is the latest version with added data. Sources and the rating
system are at the bottom of the page. Be sure and visit the Free State Project, the Free West Alliance and the Free State Wyoming sites as well.

A state receives a 1 for any of the following: no sales
tax, no income tax, a supermajority requirement to raise taxes, a concealed
carry rating of D+ or lower, firearms pre-emption laws, ballot initiatives
or less than 10 percent land owned by the Federal Government.
The highest possible score is a 7. The highest score achieved by
any state was a 6 and only one state, South Dakota, got that rating.
The lowest score was a zero and one state received that: Hawaii.

The other columns, think tank, Cato governor rating, home schooling regulations,
and Separation rate, were not considered significant enough to warrant
a plus or minus.

Future ratings might include percentage of voters who are libertarian,
and percentage of voters who voted Libertarian in the last presidential
election.

Miscellaneous

Some criterion were applicable to so few states or were so minor
that they weren't included. For example, Nevada is the only state
that has None of the Above (NOTA) on all ballots. Information on
state switchblade laws is here.
It is illegal to give tattoos in Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Massachusetts
(
ref ).

Only the latest fiscal policy report card from the Cato Institute is included in
the table above. Click here
to see all the report cards done so far.